Liwasang Bonifacio and Manila Post Office Redevelopment Proposal

University of Santo Tomas (UST), College of Architecture

Project idea

Project Brief
Manila has always been known to be the center of the Philippines, housing different cultures and ethnic diversities. Historically, it embraces different stories from the Spanish Colonial period to the American and Japanese regime creating remnants of the architectural style of its era. However, presently, it has been in neglected due to several factors such as poverty, lack of public space, vandalism, historical building abandonment. among others. One of these is the Manila Post Office Building by the late Ar. Juan M. Arellano, a prominent architect of his time. The Manila Post Office Building is situated within the Liwasang Bonifacio Park, a leisure area dedicated for one of our most significant heroes, Andres Bonifacio. Both of these have been in poor condition and because of it, have been dwelled by illegal settlers, vendors, and waste storage. The project calls for the students to think of an innovative typology fit for the historical building and the neglected park.

Project Idea
Initially, the team, through case studies, has recognized standard and common historical building reuse approaches such as malls, and hotels and have opted to deviate from these typologies.

There are two defining factors that lead us to the typology:
First, the project site, with the Pasig River on its rear, is situated in Manila in a way that almost tells a literal story line of the different architectural feats of each era, from Spanish Colonial to Neoclassical and Art Noveau. Coincidentally, these architectural feats are also cultural establishments, leading us to the question: How can we further strengthen this story line in order to create a strong definition of this area's specialty or feature?

Second, the site vicinity locates the Metropolitan Theater (adjacent to the Post Office and the Liwasang Bonifacio Park) and the Bayleaf Hotel (Connected by a golf course landscape). These two are two establishments quite significant to the industry of performing arts. We can compartmentalize the process of performing arts into three: The Pedagogy or learning institution, The Performing Area, or usually theater, and lastly, the conference or the hotel. The last two are already present on site which would be the two institutions mentioned earlier, but the pedagogy cannot be located anywhere in the immediate proximity. Simultaneously, two significant pedagogies are looking for a new area for expansion: The Ballet Manila and the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA)

This finally leads us to the idea of building this district of Manila as its center for performing arts, define the Liwasang Bonifacio Park as a performance park allowing street performers and other Filipino outdoor activities, and to redevelop the Manila Post Office Building as the new home for Ballet Manila and PETA. Lastly, a curving building shall be situated on top of the Manila Post Office Building to house the sub-branch of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts which is the National Institute for Performing Arts (NIPA) also as a symbol of the change made to the historical building; marrying history and modernity.

"Swaying your way through Manila's Cultural Identity"

Project description

The project shall include the conceptual masterplan and redevelopment of the site and its immediate context as well as the architectural design of the Manila Post Office Building (MPOB) and NIPA Extension Building. The redevelopment of the site will include the conversion of underutilized hardscape and landscape into walkable interactive and performance parks and social spaces for various functionalities.

The MPOB will be recomposed of spaces necessary for the pedagogic institutions of Ballet Manila and PETA. Multipurpose spaces at the ground floor for exhibits and special indoor events.

Technical information

Masterplan and floor plans will be provided as well as perspectives of significant areas within the project.

Co-authors

Uriel Patawaran, Student
Erold Enriquez, Student